A Most Interesting Romance
by Autobot Alythia
Summary: (slight AU, modern times) Alan Humphries and Grell Sutcliff are two best friends who have been living within London their entire lives, and nothing really too interesting has happened within their lives, but things are about to change for the two mortals when they come into contact with what they thought to be only non-exsistant beings. (Eric X human!Alan) (William X human!Grell )


**Hello everyone! Yes I know, I still need to update my Kisame X Itachi story, and it will get done at some point, don't worry, I haven't forgotten about it! Just life happens and such...and besides, I've been much too obsessed over Black Butler to really focus on Naruto at the moment. Which brings me back to this new story. I simply adore Grell X William and Eric X Alan...and the latter of the two hardly gets any attention at all with a story that doesn't involve them dying, so, I thought, why not I give it a try? This is my first Black Butler based story, which is a bit of an AU, mostly regarding how Grell and Alan are both humans in this, not Shinigami, and how its based in modern times. This doesn't really follow the real series too much, and focuses mostly on the Shinigami. So... I hope you all enjoy this new story!**

 **This story will more so focus on Eric X Alan, William X Grell is more of a minor pairing, but they will have their own share of the lime light as it goes, but still more so Eric X Alan.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, this is simply only done for fun and nothing else. And if anyone is offended by anything in this story for some reason, please note that I do not intend to do anything like that on purpose, and I apologize if it seems that way at any point during the story. Also, sorry for any spelling or grammar errors... I got not one to pre-read this for me.**

Alan figured that today would be just like any other ordinary day, as it started out like any other one really. He was a young 21 year old, having of only just turned said age a few days ago, though he hadn't done really much for his birthday. He had went out to local bar with his friend, well, only friend, Grell Sutcliff, a quite very flamboyant red head. He never knew why the redhead preferred to refer to herself as female, given that wasn't what she was naturally born as, but Alan didn't judge people based on things like that, and he knew Grell highly appreciated that. It was probably the reason why the two stuck to the other, they just really had no one else that really payed them any mind too much. Alan himself wasn't much of a social person, the only one he really talked to being Grell here, and even then, he didn't really speak too much, but it seemed Grell didn't mind it, she did most of the talking as it was, and Alan was just content to simply listen, giving in his own little words here and there.

Currently, the pair were sitting outside of a little shop on a bench on the sidewalk, just simply watching as people hurried on by, going to where ever their destinations were. Alan knew Grell was talking, but his mind began to drift off slightly, which it seemed to of been doing more often these days. His eyes looked to every couple that passed by, seeing how close they were to the other, how they held hands, or kissed, how they smiled, and how they overall just looked...

...happy.

A small sigh escaped Alan's lips as his expression turned a bit more sorrowful. He hadn't been really lucky in the love department of things. He'd had a few dates before in the past, of course, but they hadn't lasted more than a simple outing to somewhere, and each failed date it just broke Alan's heart a bit more. He wanted someone to spend the rest of his life with, to be loved and love them in return, to be-

"Alan? Hello? Are you even listening?" came Grell's voice, with a hint of annoyance to it now, waving her hand in front of Alan's face. The younger man blinked a few times, before he looked to Grell with a sheepish expression .

"Oh, I'm sorry... I'll admit I was kind of... deep in thought." he replied. Grell raised an eyebrow at him.

"You seem to be doing that a lot..." she replied, before she seemed to quickly push it aside as she gave him a grin, exposing some oddly sharpened teeth. Alan held no clue why Grell had those teeth, and the redhead had refused to tell him if she was born with it naturally or had them altered at some dentist, so he didn't try to ask again. "Anyways, to what I was saying..." Grell began, and her expression only seemed to brighten as she clasped her hands together, "I saw the most gorgeous man the other day!" she exclaimed, and Alan resisted the urge to face palm.

Oh yes...he very well knew Grell's...appetite, for so called gorgeous men, the redhead was telling him of some new man every other day that she knew 'had to be the one', only to find another man to obsess over a few days later. He envied Grell though a bit, at least she was bold and just went out there, while Alan preferred to just stick out of everyone's way.

He sighed slightly as he leaned back on the bench, not bothering to reply, he knew Grell would just rant on anyways. "Oh he was the most handsome man that I've ever seen Alan, darling, oh even mere words can't do him justice!" Grell sighed dreamily. "And he wore this professional looking suit, oh I do love my men in uniform..." she purred, licking her lips. "He held this serious expression, and he just had a mysterious aurora about him, oh I just can't get him out of my thoughts! I know it, he's the one!" Grell grinned, hugging herself, and Alan raised an eyebrow.

Well now...this certainly was the most Grell ever spoke about any man before, maybe this one would be a bit of a longer obsession for Grell... or not, he didn't really know. He didn't know what went on in Grell's mind, and he really didn't want to know.

"Well, so you think that he is the one, and not a simple little temporary obsession like your previous ones have been?" Alan carefully asked her, and Grell nodded.

"Oh yes, I sense he is the one! He has to be, I just feel this strong pull to him!" she swooned.

"So, have you talked to him?" Alan then asked, and Grell's grin slowly faded now into a frown and she sighed.

"...no. I only got a glimpse of him, before he just vanished. Odd enough I saw him in an alley way, with some odd long pole-like tool in his hand, and then when I blinked, he was gone." she replied, and Alan now raised an eyebrow.

"...are you sure you weren't only imagining this so called dream man of yours? It sounds like it to me." he said, and that earned him a nasty look from Grell.

"NO! I swear I did NOT imagine him Alan! He was real, I know it! I just...I know he was real! And I'm making it my goal to find him again, where ever he may be, I will hunt all over this city for him!" she exclaimed, and Alan just shook his head. He got out his phone, looking at the time, before he slowly got up.

"Well...good luck with this goose chase of yours Grell, but I need to get going..." he told his flamboyant friend. Grell didn't really notice, still daydreaming about this mysterious man she had spotted, and Alan just gave a wave anyways, before he started to walk off down the sidewalk, hands just shoved into his pockets as he kept his head low. People barely noticed him as he walked past, and that was just fine with him.

He had gotten used to it at this point.

* * *

He was pretty close to his home now at this point, a small apartment complex he lived in just in the outskirts of London. He was fishing out his keys ahead of him, not entirely watching where he was going, and so as fate would have it, he accidentally bumped into someone. He was startled, giving a quick yelp of surprise as he started to fall back before a firm hand suddenly reached out ,grabbing onto Alan's arm to stop him from falling.

Alan instantly straightened up, looking up as he began to apologize. "I-I'm sorry, I wasn't-" he began, but his words quickly cut off as he gazed up to who he had bumped into...

...and he swore, this man had to be the most perfect specimen of a man that he's seen within his entire life.

He was a bit on the taller side, dwarfing Alan by a good foot at least, and he held a more rugged appearance, with shaggy/wavy blond hair, with one side that appeared to be dyed black and braided on the side, moving back as it seemed to be tied. He had the beginnings of stubble on his chin, and he definitely seemed to hold muscle under that slightly disheveled suit he wore.

Though, the thing that Alan was drawn to most were this man's eyes...they were the most unique color he'd seen, almost appeared to be two colors... A brilliant green with what looked like gold around the green, a very beautiful sight.

The man cleared his throat, and Alan quickly snapped out of his little daze, a blush dusting his cheeks now as he took a step back, rubbing his arm nervously. "S-sorry... I um... I wasn't watching where I was going..." He replied, and the man gave a deep chuckle, and he lightly slung a...what appeared to be a hack saw, over his shoulder, as if it wasn't some sort of dangerous tool. What in the world was he doing with that?

"Its no problem, though, the real question is are you alright? Walking into me is like walking into a brick wall..." the man lightly joked, flashing him a charming grin, which only made Alan blush even more. He seemed to study Alan for a moment, before he held out his unoccupied hand to him in a handshake. "The name is Eric Slingby, by the way..." he added, and Alan hesitantly took his hand, shaking it nervously.

"U-uh... n-nice to meet you, Mr. Slingby sir-"

"Please, just Eric, I don't like being called Mr. Slingby...makes me feel really old." the man, now Eric, chuckled, and Alan quickly nodded, unable to help his stuttering.

"O-ok... I-I'm Alan Humphries... Uh...sorry again." he added, and Eric only just continued to smile, and he lightly pat Alan on the shoulder.

"Hey really, its no big deal." he said, waving it off. Though, a hint of mischief sparkled in Eric's eyes for a moment, and he lent down slightly to him, "Though, to be honest, I don't mind being bumped into a little cutie like yourself." he smirked to him, and Alan's blush increased further at that, unable to really reply to that. The man chuckled before he straightened back up again.

Alan, after he collected himself, turned his gaze back to that large hack saw slung over Eric's shoulder. "So...if you don't mind me asking...um...why do you...have that with you?" he asked. "Kind of misplaced here..." he said, and Eric glanced to said hack saw, then back to Alan.

"Oh this ol thing? I always have it with me, its part of my job. " he replied smoothly.

"Oh, so like a...um...well, I don't really know what job would require that tool...and wearing a suit." he said, and Eric let out a chuckle.

"Oh its a very interesting job, but can't really tell ya, kind of a...hush-hush topic." he replied, and Alan knew better than to ask anything further on it. There was a bit of silence for a moment, before Alan started to feel awkward, and he rubbed his arm again.

"Well...um... I need to get going home... It was nice to meet you, Mr.-um, I mean Eric." He replied, and he began to walk off, quickly walking past him.

And so, it was as he walked past, that Alan didn't notice how Eric's eyes seemed to flash slightly, watching him as he walked off, and he gave a sly grin. "Yeah...I got a feeling I'll be seeing you again real soon..."

And not for reaping, either.


End file.
